1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fluorescent endoscope apparatus of detecting a fluorescence spectrum resulting from a biological tissue in order to observe the biological tissue.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, this kind of fluorescent endoscope apparatus is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent No. 4109133.
Now, a component which causes variations in the fluorescent spectra of a labeled fluorescent agent and auto-fluorescence, for example, to have a bad influence upon a decision on lesion tissue (for example, residue emitting fluorescence or the like) exists in a living body. Also, the fluorescent spectra obtained from a living body make a difference among individuals.
Accordingly, the fluorescent endoscope apparatus which is described in Japanese Patent No. 4109133 is formed in such a way that: after the information about the distributions of a plurality of feature quantities is acquired on the basis of the fluorescence information about a clean biological tissue to which residues or the like do not adhere, in advance, a plurality of feature quantities are acquired on the basis of the fluorescence information which is obtained from an area to be measured; and a decision whether the area to be measured is a clean tissue to which residues or the like do not adhere or not is made on the basis of the acquired feature quantities and the information about the distributions of the feature quantities that was acquired in advance on the basis of the fluorescence information about the clean biological tissue to which residues or the like do not adhere. As a result, the fluorescent endoscope apparatus which is described in Japanese Patent No. 4109133 makes it possible to improve the reliability of the result of a decision on tissue characterization.